Just Married!
by WynterRavenheart
Summary: What happens during shore leave stays in shore leave, unless you're getting married.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Proposal

It wasn't a deliberated decision, not consciously anyway, they had been thinking about it, thinking about after the war thinking of where they wanted to go, no matter what plans had been woven, it always had that one word: together.

Be it retirement, or more excitement playing Spectres, the dullness of politics or just adopting five hundred puppies. The plans always involved them together. It was Shepard that had brought forth the idea when they were both tired after a day of travelling around the galaxy, on their way to the Citadel.

As much excitement as their lives had, at least fifty percent of it was spent travelling through space, which was, all in all, boring after a while. There was only so many stars one could count before they went stir crazy.

"Do you think we'll ever get old?" She asked while sitting on the weapon's bench while Garrus started to power down the console for the night shift.

"I hope so, I'm not fighting this war just to be killed at the end." He shrugged, and up and sort-of-forward of his shoulders that always made Shepard smile, it was such a human behaviour; one she didn't recall him showing on the first Normandy.

"What happened to 'society first, platoon first'?"

"It's all good on paper, and on a strictly Turian enclave, but…" he sighed, turning off the console and moving towards her, fitting between her spread legs. He caressed her cheek with a knuckle, lifting her face towards him, "…your Humanity must be rubbing off on me."

Suave bastard, gods she loved him.

"Marry me?" The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could do more than think them. Her word-to-mouth filtre went out of the proverbial window when they were together. "I'm not sure what's the equivalent for you guys. Bond with me? I-"

"We usually bond with each other, do you have any idea what you're asking honey?" He sighed, leaning down and somewhat over her, "You're asking me to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Yes I am." She smiled up to him, grabbing one of his hands and entwining their fingers, he was so much bigger than her up close. "Regardless of how long or how… how long we have, I want it to be with you."

"Good." He chuckled, gently bumping his forehead to hers, "saves me the trouble of asking you." He murmured before capturing her lips.

There had been some celebration afterwards, just between the two of them of course. They couldn't exchange rings, not while in space, not during travel, so they had done the next best thing: exchanged dog tags, not the part where their names, rank and blood type were, no, but the second part where it was engraved the planet and military they served under, just a little something to remember they would, soon she hoped, belong to each other.

"What are you doing?" Garrus asked as he peaked through the bedroom's door, blinking at the still form sitting on the bed; they were at Anderson's old apartment - Shepard's now - and he had spent the whole time snooping around the place while she had just stopped and then spent the last five minutes staring at the dog tags in her hands: Her name, his planet and the memory of their promise.

"Just… just looking." She shook her head, trying to dispel the memory she had slipped into.

"Admiring the dog tags?" He smiled, a flicker of amusement and happiness on his face.

"Yeah, can you blame me?"

"Yes I can… you're leading me astray." Garrus laughed as he approached her, taking her in, he loved seeing her like this. Happy. It radiated from her in such a way it was catching, it was a wave of love - for him of all people, how did he get so lucky? - that humbled him.

"You're such an ass," she laughed, shaking her head and looking down at the tags, caressing the scribe that read 'Palaven' in Galactic Standard.

"Maybe, but I'm yours, so that's a moot point." She just snorted in response, laying down and patting the spot next to hers.

"Makes you even more of an ass that does." She said turning towards him, watching as he laid on the bed, huffing in discomfort before putting a few pillows under his neck then carding his fingers through her hair when he saw her looking.

"When do you want to do this?" he asked, voice suddenly hoarse.

"Would you think less of me if I said as soon as we can?" She whispered, her stomach turning itself upside down, ideas flashing through her mind but she refused to focus on any of them. They would only lead to unnecessary pain. "I want to be able to say you're mine."

"You don't need papers for that Shepard," he smiled, rubbing the base of her neck with his thumb, "I already am, and you're mine."

"I know, but I want it to be as official as we can get," she sighed, closing her eyes, he had gotten really good at distracting her, "I'm rushing into this but-"

"Maybe we are, but I don't want to regret not having done this," he rumbled, sighed and leaned into her space, whispering in her ear, "the earliest we can get it done is tomorrow, but I'm not sure if that's enough time to call everyone if y-"

He stopped speaking and just hugged her as she launched herself at him, hugging him tight, she wasn't the only one anxious to get it done, to have a feeling of home to return to, if only for their peace of mind. "I love you," he stuttered, still not used to saying it out loud.

"I love our friends but I seriously could care less if they attend, this is for us, just for us." she smiled, placing a kiss on his scarred mandible, "besides my best friend's already attending."

"Best friend and husband," he laughed, pulling her on top of him, "think you can handle it?"

"I think I'll manage," she ground her pelvis against his, getting a hum of appreciation, "think you can handle me, big guy?"

"Absolutely," he whispered before claiming her lips again.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Bonding

"So," Garrus drawled as leaned against the closet door, head leaning back, resting against the wood - real wood too, how much Anderson had paid for this?! - "how far do you want to go with this marriage?"

"As far as you want," Jane answered, peaking out from the closet, dressed only in the thin and frilly underwear she favoured while on shore leave. "I've read on Turian bonding, Garrus, I know what I'm getting myself into."

"I just don't want you to regret it," he shook his head, taking her in, a hum of interest in his subvocals.

"The only thing I'm gonna regret is having worn an expensive dress when I know you're itching to tear it to shreds," she laughed, hunting for the illusive creamy pink dress in the closet, she looked back at her soon-to-be husband as his mandibles twitched in embarrassment. Neither of them were fully dressed, Garrus bare, with his outfit laid out on the bed.

The feeling of seeing him in the nude, comfortable in her flat, their flat technically, sent a warm feeling through her heart, it was such a contrast to always seeing him in armour on the Normandy. She couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"I may have purchased another one for you, usually fitted for Asari-Turian couples, it'd look good on you." He tried to smile, but Jane could clearly see his discomfort and hear it too if the gentle tap of his foot on the floor was any indication.

"I'm sure I'll love it," she tried to smile reassuringly, reaching for him, pulling him down while she stood on tip-toes to kiss his chin.

They were both guilty of loving the height difference between them.

"What are you so afraid of?" She asked gently looking up to him.

He didn't bother denying it, didn't bother to feign; he closed his eyes, head tilted down, usually he didn't mind showing Jane how weak he was when faced with her, how weak and uncertain she made him. But this- "I'm scared to death you'll grow tired of me and move on, I'm terrified you'll choose to leave me behind one day."

"Garrus-" she stopped herself, watching as the man she loved crumbled in on himself, sitting on the floor and staring at her as if she held the answers to the universe.

"I'm scared you'll stop loving me, when I'm-"

She stood silently above him, she wouldn't promise to love him above all else, she couldn't, it was the one thing he wouldn't believe, not without proof. She had been saving that proof for a while now, wondering when was the best time to give it to him, to sooth his worries, to make him happy.

She was so damned selfish.

Without breaking eye contact she climbed on his lap, settling herself comfortably on his lap and staring intently into icy blue eyes. "Bond with me," she whispered, taking his hand and placing it on her head, near her temple; she knew the symbolism wasn't lost on him when his eyes widened. "Bond with me like you would with a Turian woman."

"I'll hurt you," he whispered back, talons shaking slightly against her skin.

"You won't, I trust you above everyone else, you won't hurt me." She tightened her hold on his hands, turning her head slightly and kissing his open palm,

"I can't give you verbal reassurances, I can't promise you forever, but I can give you this, all of me is yours to take, if you want to."

He nodded, closing his eyes briefly in an internal battle with himself before gentry bumping their heads together and whispering between them, his breath on her lips. "Look at me."

It was the singular oddest thing she had ever felt, including the Prothean Beacon and mind melding with Liara, it was the feeling of pressure inside her mind, inside her consciousness, pressure digging in her memories, her feelings, making them flow fleetingly between them like water through her fingers.

Something she could easily recognise as not hers, as foreign, as him.

It was the thud of mixed surprised and pleasure when confronted with her feelings for Garrus - she wasn't surprised in the least he would look for it first - the dash of apprehension seeming to lift from between them.

It was her remembering the first time she saw him, that single perfect shot between the thug's eye and how fucking proud and impressed she had been, it was her recalling the first time they had sex in the flat and the thrill of amusement, arousal and pride, or the sheer love she felt for the bastard in her arms and the level of respect she had for him.

It was seeing herself through his eyes, wondering how could the real her measure up to the sheer scale.

Fleeting memories from him, a sharp word from Tidus Vakarian mingling in with sharp instructions from Basic. It was seeing the proud form of a 15 year old Garrus, with some of his feathersplumagedefinitellyfeathers attached to his neck and trying to pretend the taunting from older students didn't bother him, mixing with Palin's face and shouts and disappointment from all the others figures in his life.

'I'm so fucking proud of you' she thought at him, fiercely protective of the tiny form blurring into her 15 year old self getting the shit beat out of her by someone older.

The wave of hatred and protectiveness took her by surprise, though maybe it shouldn't have. 'I'm with you for whatever you need me' her pleasure at his words, echoing in her mind as if he was miles away, her feeling of approval, of SAMEYESI'MWITHYOU seemingly loud in comparison.

It was the strange feeling of not being alone, even on their darkest moments, of being truly one for a second, of seeing themselves whole, of being one.

She could definitely get used to that.

She blinked herself awake again, seeing Garrus do the same as they leaned slightly away from each other.

"Did it-" the feeling of accomplishment reached her, more than words, less than thoughts, feelings. She giggled, hiding her face on his neck, feeling happiness mischief and joy in her chest, which one was his or which one was hers she couldn't tell, but they were in sync.

"Mine," they said together staring at each other, before laughing, the shared joy was contagious and Jane was sure, it may have been illegal in some asteroids even.

"Is this what bonding between Turians feel like?" she asked, sighing against his neck.

"I've no idea, I've never bonded with anyone before," he shrugged with the opposite shoulder from the one she was leaning against, "I never wanted to." He ran his talons down her side, being careful about hurting her, he was always so careful.

"You like this?" She could feel his surprise like a ripple in her stomach, this would definitely take some getting used to.

"I love you touching me, not just during sex," she sighed, getting more comfortable on his lap. Their forms were alien to each other, yet they had managed to fit after some trial and error, it was worth it. "You can be a bit rougher, I'm tougher than you think."

"I felt it, you're stronger than even you think Astra," he rumbled, amused.

They stayed still a moment longer before Jane straightened on his lap, frowning at him and feeling his mild confusion and loss. "About that dress…" she trailed off expecting an answer.

"It's a mix of blue and green," embarrassment from his side like hot stone in her hands, "cheaper, easier to tear it to shreds," worry, amusement, want.

"I've no doubt, show me." She demanded, getting up from his lap and offering a hand to help him up.

As Garrus left the tiny closet to pick up the package from somewhere in the living room she could still feel him in the back of her mind, a thrum of amusement and love, sharp with fierce protectiveness, it was almost enough to bring her to her knees again.

She was still confused about his doubts when, from her point of view, there was no need to, and they would work on it from both sides, but if he needed her to vocalize how much she lovedadoredwated him, she would, until such a time all that was left was them together, as one.

"Garrus?" she called, walking after him as she heard a sharp intake of breath.

"I'm okay. I found it, it was on the wardrobe of the gym-room," he called and his voice faltered, she could feel how overwhelmed he was in the face of her joy, her fierce pride in him.

She laughed, the hardest part was over - or maybe it had just begun? - all they had to do was wait for the Viçar and their friends to show up for the physical part of their bond.

She felt his happiness and pride at the sight of her like goosebumps on her skin, it was something she could definitely get used to.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Mine

The dress he had gotten her was breathtaking in it's simplicity: A navy-blue gown with golden embroidery showing off her bare neck and shoulders, the top of her breasts uncovered, the trim and golden lace at the waist accentuating her curves, flaring her hips, framing her breasts, accentuating his favourite features on her.

'Pervert,' she thought with fondness getting surprise and amusement from his end.

The bond didn't allow their thoughts to be shared, just feelings, emotions, desires, frustrations and everything in between. Theirs was a new bond which just meant she was still sharply in-tune with her Turian.

She felt her stomach flutter at the thought still unsure if it was her reaction or his that caused the physical reaction, though it didn't matter, not really.

She heard the doorbell ring and felt Garrus surprisepleasure at whoever it was on the other end, probably one of their friends, or one of his; though they had send last-minute invitations to everyone a surprisingly number of them had agreed to come.

'Maybe not so surprising,' she thought with a smile, finishing putting on her dress, foregoing the heels - she couldn't walk in the damn things to save her life! - and choosing to go with the dark ballerina flats she had gotten on a whim.

She could hear a few people downstairs, not many since not everyone could ditch everything and come, especially in the middle of a war.

Which just made her think: were they being selfish?

"You're overthinking again Shepard," came Garrus voice from the other side of the door, keeping the frankly unnecessary distance between them. He had refused to look at her since he left to greet the guests, something about honouring human traditions, she truly hoped he felt how miffed she was over it. "I thought that was my job."

"I can't help but think this is selfish of us," she blurted out, looking at his turned back, feeling his want to look, to see. She felt his happiness and anticipation like a warm liquid over her heart. Maybe it was selfish, and in another universe she would've felt horrible for stealing time alone with Garrus while others were harvested, but at that moment she really couldn't be bothered to care, right there and then all that mattered was them. "It must be selfish to be this happy, but I really really don't care at this point." She smiled, crossing the laces at her ankles and tying them up.

"Good, because I honestly don't care, not right now," he whispered back to her, she could feel his feelings of want - not lustful want, but want of something sweet, the hunger for her of all people - like a fluttering in her stomach, or maybe it was her own anticipation. "We're doing this, unless you-"

"Yes we are," she whispered, going up to him and holding on to his waist as she stood on her tip toes to kiss his shoulder, his covered carapace, holding on to his sudden slack hands, intertwining their fingers, "last time you call me Shepard, by the way," she smiled, squeezing his waist and feeling a flutter on her stomach, "I can't wait to be officially yours big guy," she smiled against his arm, feeling both of their hearts thundering, "go wait up for me."

"Always," he mumbled, gripping her fingers tight before taking a deep breath and walking away from her. She could definitely relate, she wanted him there, right there with her, 'just a few more minutes and you'll never have to leave him,' she thought, feeling her stomach flutter.

She looked herself in the mirror one last time as a single woman, tasting his surname on her tongue, tasting how Jane Shepard became Jane Vakarian.

She took a deep breath and exited the room without looking back, leaving behind her loneliness, her fear of abandonment, her layers and layers of strength built on top of hurt feelings. She left herself open to meet with him.

-:=:-

Their living room had been emptied of everything, leaving only the unlit fireplace, the closed piano and an altar - brought by James and the Vicar out of all people.

The windows were closed, the room darkened except for the twinkling lights of the hologram depicting the Nebula; the couches, the chairs, everything had been taken away to one of the rooms, leaving their friends standing up to witness the ceremony.

He felt when she stripped herself bare for him, metaphorically speaking, leaving her layers behind and meeting him as a whole person, no barriers between them for the first time since their mental bond, hours before.

He placed himself by the altar, behind him the windows were closed, a holo of the Widow Nebula providing most of the light source in the darkened room.

He felt her steps before he heard them, before he saw her coming to him, holding a single candle in a thin crystal bowl between her hands. His breath stuttered as he saw her, she was a vision in blue and gold, lit up by the fire in her hands and the stars themselves; for the first time since Basic, Garrus allowed himself to believe in Spirits, for she was definitely a gift, a star in her own right, and she was allowing him to be hers.

Radiant as the sun, beautiful and ever-changing as Palaven's night sky, coming to meet him as a breath of fresh air in the blazing heat.

There was no one to give her away, she didn't need to, she was whole, she was all she had ever needed, there was no need to have anyone else standing in for something she had never had.

He took the bowl from her hands in reverence when she offered, placing it before the altar in their living room, taking her right hand in his as he stood in front of her.

Garrus only realised he was trembling when she squeezed his hand, a soft smile on her lips, belittling the sheer joy she was feeling inside, which he could feel as a balm on his back, warm, thrilling, and for him alone.

They filled the bowl with crystalline water, until the candle was gently floating on the surface.

"Garrus, Jane, do you enter this ceremony of your own free will?" The Turian Vicar asked, an old man with dull plates and heavy hands, knuckles swollen with age. For the life of him Garrus couldn't remember his name.

They glanced at each other, his hand gripping hers tight, "we do," they said in unison, finger intertwined.

Garrus could read a smile in the old man's face, the Vicar could probably tell they had already Bonded.

"Good," he said, and Garrus could definitely hear a smile in both his voices, "we're here because of love, your love, because in the face of the overwhelming chaos of life you found a save heaven in each other to rest, to regroup, to think. You have found each other among billions of souls, you have chosen each other." The man stopped, looking over both of them.

In the darkened room, with the single candle lighting up their faces and the utter silent from their friends it was almost easy to pretend the three of them were alone.

"Take heed, love is not easy, it's not simple, it's a choice you must make everyday." He took their joined hands, placing it above the candle, the gentle warmth of the light misleading in its simplicity.

"Love is understanding, it's selfless, it's giving, it also leaves deep scars on those it touches, for better or worse. To love another is to place yourself in the line of fire, as their first and last defence, as their shield, their spear and the healing warmth on a cold day or the breeze of spring and fresh water on a hot day. Are you ready to make such a heavy commitment to each other?"

"Yes."

"Then let us proceed," the man hummed, producing a very thin, pearly white, silken strand, weaving over and under and all around their joined hands. "Love is, at the same time, the flame that warms one's soul and the one that consumes it." He lowered their hands into the candle, the treated fabric easily catching on fire and burning, fast enough to lick their skin, hot enough to show its trail after the ashes fell down but not enough to hurt.

It was symbolic and, as far as Garrus was concerned, the image fit their bond perfectly.

The Vicar lowered their hands into the water bowl, the fresh water soothing whatever hurt may have been left from the fire.

"It's soothing, it's all consuming, for those who choose to bond it is a place to drown one's sorrows and to have the certainty you're wanted, you're loved, you're alive." He finished in a whisper, keeping their hands underwater, "you may now say your vows."

He moved in first, squeezing her hand in reassurance, they had kept their vows as secret as they could but he had no doubt she knew his as well as he knew hers.

"I give you my Body, freely, that we Two might be One. I give you my Spirit, `til our Life shall be Done. My Mind and thoughts I share, so that we each may know one another intimately, with no restraints I vow myself to you." He took in a deep breath, staring into her eyes.

"You cannot possess me for I belong to myself, while we both wish it, I give you that which is mine to give. You cannot command me, for I am a free person but I shall serve under you willingly and with joy I walk by your side. I vow to you to share the whole of me, a safe port you shall have in my heart, and in my arms you shall rest."

He kneeled before her, baring his neck, hearing a sharp intake of breath from somewhere in the room, "I am yours, for as long as you want me, for as long as you need me, and I shall follow you and cherish you, for this life and into the next."

He looked at her, feeling, more than seeing, her overwhelmed emotions, a sharp tug on the back of his head, almost an ache, and he could feel his heart beating along with hers.

She took in a deep breath, then another before she started, "I vow you the first cut of my meat, the first sip of my wine, my first and last thought. It's only your name I cry out in the night and into your eyes that I smile each morning. It has always been you, my shield, my spear, my voice of reason in the chaos."

"I shall be a shield for your back as you are for mine, I shall be your safe port as you are to me. We belong first to ourselves but in that I chose to become yours by my will alone. My Body, my Spirit and my Mind I share with you, so from now and through the rest of life we may be known as One."

She kneeled in front of him, holding herself above him by will alone and cradling his face in her hands, "above and beyond this, I will cherish and honour you through this life and into the next. I ask you to be mine, as I've always been and shall be yours, I ask you to share yourself with me, as you've got the whole of me at your will."

And to that, he could only reply a softly spoken "yes," before he cradled her face in his hands and gently brought her face closer, touching her forehead to his - the bond singing between them - and scenting her all around him as he tasted her lips.

They heard a faint 'so mote it be' from somewhere above and around them, before the lights were slowly brought up as their friends clapped and cheered. He was aware of the friendly claps and the congratulations being thrown around them, he was aware of Liara hugging Tali and sniffing in the background, of James, Kaidan and Joker congratulating them, but he only had eyes for his wife.

'I love you,' he heard even though his wife's lips hadn't moved.

His wife.

He wondered if he ever would get used to the word, to those feelings in the back of his mind that signalled her presence, to the odd feelings of too many fingers, of his heels touching the floor, the lack of spurs on her legs. And yet…

She was beautiful to him, she was perfect even though she insisted otherwise, she was his just as he was hers. He toyed with her fingers, counting them over and over as he nuzzled her hair.

"Do we have to get up now?" She smiled on his neck, he could feel her blushing as the world 'husband' passed through her mind, the heat of her face and the proud embarrassment flowing from her side of the bond something he couldn't help but find endearing, even as he got up, offering her a hand.

"If we absolutely have to." He sighed, as if inconvenienced, but he could and did forgive her anything as she took his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together in an old dance they had perfected.  
Tali was the first to congratulate them on being a couple, Garrus could've sworn she was sniffling under the mask.

"You looked so beautiful She- I suppose it's Vakarian now, isn't it?"

Garrus looked at his wife's flushed face, feeling a hint of an apology from her end, she wasn't ashamed of him - quite the opposite really - but needs must, "in private only, until everything blows over, then I can come out with G- with my husband's name." She blushed to the tips of her hair, and he could feel her smug, proud and embarrassed all over again.

"I supposed congratulations are in order then?" James approached them with a grin, followed closely by Kaidan, Joker and Chellick were in the kitchen with Steve, grabbing levo and dextro bottles of spirits, even though Garrus wasn't planning on drinking, not that night.

"It was beautiful Jane, Garrus thanks for asking us to come." The Major smiled at them patting Garrus in the back even as he winked at Jane, only to have her laugh at him. Garrus could feel her amusement like a bright flare in his chest, his wife didn't laugh or smile nearly as much as she should, he had vowed to change that the first time she had accepted his kiss.

"We wouldn't want to share this moment with anyone else, I know it was on short-notice b-"

"Yeah, no, it's fine, just sad so few of us could come," Kaidan sighed, shoulders sagging a bit.

"We're holding the party later on this week, here's hoping everyone can get together then."

"You mean I left my ship and there's not even booze around?" Joker asked from the kitchen, walking back to them and offering one of the beers to Jane, his wife declined it with a shake of her head.

"You could have declined," Jane shrugged, and he just felt the urge to roll his eyes skyward as he looked at the other two Turians in the room, Chellick was the only one from his department who was able to show up in such short notice.

"And miss my friend making a honest Turian out of Garrus? No way!" Joker grumbled, before shaking her hand, "seriously though? Congratulations, both of you, you guys deserve it."

"It was beautiful," Liara smiled approaching them, "I never imagined you'd go for a traditional ceremony," she inquired, looking at his wife.

"I did like the idea of a Turian wedding, especially for bonded couples," Jane explained with a smile, looking at him from the corner of her eye an inquiry, a silent question between them. 'Should we tell them?' Her eyes asked, and he could see no good reason to keep it from their friends.

"Caught me by surprise too, I never would've imagine she would propose bonding," he sighed into her hair, running his hand over her arm, his fingers testing the material of her dress.

"Vakarian, stop taking advantage of your new wife in front of the guests!" The flanged voiced came from his right as Chellick stepped forward, offering his hand, Garrus grabbed his forearm in a proper greeting, Jane doing the same and getting an interesting hum from the Turian.

"Thanks for inviting me by the way," the detective hummed again, pleased, happy. "I'm surprised you bonded, I didn't think Humans could Bond like that."

"I didn't either," he smiled, "wouldn't have it any other way, Jane's the one who suggested it even," he squeezed her hand in his, getting a kiss on the tip os his mandibles.

The detective laughed, a hint of embarrassment in his subvocals as Jane rested a hand on Garrus' waist. "And that's my cue to leave," the detective added with a smile, congratulating them once again before taking his leave, their apartment quickly filling out, leaving the two of them alone.

"You look beautiful," he whispered in the quiet, his thumb tracing her lips.

"You too handsome, to see ou waiting up for me," she sighed turning her face just a bit to kiss his wrist. "It was-" terrifyingexhilaratingincomparable she choked on her thought, framing his face with her hands. "I love you so much."

"You were like a gift from the Spirits themselves, all for me," he chuckled, running his fingers over her back before he leaned down and kissed her. "You're Divine."

"You're mine."


End file.
